Buying a home: a step-by-step guide, from viewing to deed

Buying a home follows fairly predictable stages, even if every purchase has its own pace. Knowing them ahead of time helps you avoid surprises. It starts with setting a budget: not just the property price, but also the accessory costs — registration tax or VAT, notary fees, any agency commission, and mortgage costs if you need financing. Only then does it make sense to start viewing properties, with clear criteria on area, size and condition. Once you've found the right property, you submit a written purchase offer, usually backed by a deposit. If the seller accepts, you move to the preliminary contract: a binding agreement, which gets registered and sets out price, terms and conditions of the sale. Meanwhile, if you need a mortgage, this is the time to apply: the bank will assess both your profile and the property, with its own appraisal. It's worth starting this step early, since approval takes time. That leads to the deed: the notarial act that formally transfers ownership. The notary checks the property's land registry and mortgage status, reads the deed to both parties and registers it. From that moment, the keys are yours. At every stage, having a single point of contact follow the negotiation — from the first viewing to the signature — reduces the risk of misunderstandings between the parties involved.